Increase in the extracellular K⁺ concentration decreases the electric currents passing through the Alka channel (A), indicating that K⁺ binding induces a state transition to the closed state in Alka (B). Credit: Takushi Shimomura

Researchers from the National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Nagoya City University, and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science in Japan have identified the first animal ion channel molecules that open and close in response to extracellular potassium ions (K⁺). The paper is published in the journal Nature Communications .

Potassium ions (K⁺) are essential for all cells and living organisms.…